Man fatally shot while asleep in car in Rainier Valley

A man was shot and killed early this morning while he was sleeping in his car in Rainier Valley, police said.

Officers responding to reports of shots fired just before 1 a.m. found the man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds near Rainier Avenue South and South Austin Street.

People in the area said the man lived out of his car and was likely asleep when he was shot, police said.

Police said it is unclear what led to the shooting.

Wednesday night, candles laid down in the shape of a heart were lit on top of broken glass from the victim’s car. One man, who wished to not be identified, said his friend was “caught in the crossfire.”

The shooting was the second near that intersection in the last month. On April 10, two men were also shot there, but Seattle Police spokesman Jeff Kappel said homicide detectives have not linked that incident with this morning’s.

The April shooting killed Ritchie Williams, 37, who was shot in the head.

Police have not been given any suspect descriptions in either shooting.

About The Today File

The Today File is a general news blog featuring real-time coverage of Seattle and the Northwest. It is reported by the news staff of The Seattle Times and includes stories from The Associated Press and McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.